On June 27, 2013, in the George Zimmerman trial the term "cracker" was mentioned in courtroom testimony. A witness, Rachel Jeantel under examination testified that Martin said (on the phone) to her that a "creepy ass cracker is following me" moments before the altercation between Martin and Zimmerman occurred. Zimmerman's attorney then asked the Ms. Jeantel if the word "cracker" was an offensive term, to which the Rachel responded "no." That testimony and response brought about both media and public debate about the use of the word "cracker."

Cracker, like the term "nigger," is derogatory, but unlike the latter which is hurled primarily at Black folks, the former is reserved for white people, especially in the Southern United States. In reference to a native of Florida or Georgia, however, it is sometimes used in a neutral or positive context and is sometimes used self-descriptively with pride. And with the recent attempt to make the term nigger positive, the two term share a similar ambivalence. But the two terms are not necessarily equivalent.

There are multiple explanations of the etymology of "cracker," most dating its origin to the 18th century or earlier.

One theory holds that slave foremen in the antebellum South used bullwhips to discipline Afrikan slaves, with such use of the whip being described as "cracking the whip." The white foremen who cracked these whips thus became known as "crackers." Who was this cracker? The master, his son, or a local white that was hired to do the job. This person was a hired hand, generally a person of a lower class distinction. He was more than likely the Scots-Irish and English settlers in the south, who were descendants of English bond servants. These individuals may have been the workers on the plantation, whose task included overseeing and discipline. Their roles as “crackers” of the whip was not one that held much syatus in the eyes of the master. It was considered a lowly but necessary part of slavery, and this class of men that were assigned the task were equally viewed lowly in the planter class. However, Frederick Law Olmsted, a prominent landscape architect from Connecticut, visited the South as a journalist in the 1850s and wrote that "some crackers owned a good many Negroes, and were by no means so poor as their appearance indicated."

Another notion of the word “cracker” being associated with the whip is the "cracker cowboy" who unlike Spanish vaquero and the Western cowboy who used lassos to herd or capture cattle, their primary tools to move the cattles were cow whips and dogs.The Florida Cracker Trail is a route which cuts across southern Florida, following the historic trail of the old cattle drives. In this context, the term refers to the cracking of the whips used by the Florida drovers.

Another is that the term “cracker” comes from the common diet of poor whites. According to the 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica the term derives from the cracked (kernels of) corn which formed the staple of this class.

"Cracker" has also been used as a proud or jocular self-description. With the huge influx of new residents from the North, "cracker" is used informally by some white residents of Florida and Georgia ("Florida cracker" or "Georgia cracker") to indicate that their family has lived there for many generations. It has been used in songs, by politicians (the latest being Bill Clinton), and Afrikan Americans. However, the term "white cracker" as opposed to “cracker” is seldom used self-referentially and remains an offensive racial slur used to demean Caucasians.

The point is that “cracker” like “nigger” were both created by white folks. Apparently “cracker” derived from the person who weilded the whip either on Afrikan or cows, and was a task assigned to low-class whites. Some who even rose to become slave-owners. So when Afrikan people use a term that they use on themselves, is that racist? (If anything, “white cracker” appears to be the real slur.)

Well, this blog post is quite interesting. Sincerely speaking, I have never known the proper description of the word cracker. Ok. I have always known that it is derogatory but honestly it does not sound really bad. In my opinion cracker is not as demeaning as nigger. All in all am still waiting for the day when the term nigger will become positive. This I say with a pinch of salt coz I don’t think it will ever happen.

Reply

David

7/14/2013 05:24:38 am

I also tend to side with Jane's comments. The Nigger word and the Negro have been used over many generations that have made the word to somewhat seem as acceptable. The C word as you call it is not any bud, but i believe a white person might feel offended when they are referred to by the name, especially when a black person is referring to them using the name.

Reply

Felix

7/15/2013 01:36:53 am

I do not think that the word cracker is so offensive. Comedian Chris Rock likes to use the word a lot, and white audiences do not get offended. This is unlike the word nigger, which white people cannot use freely as it is a well known racial slur. Was Zimmerman's defense team trying to imply that Martin was racist so George's race killing was justified? The defense of Zimmerman trivialized the real issue - the cold blooded murder of an unarmed teenager - in their bid to present Zimmerman as innocent and harmless.